Vehicle seats are provided with a headrest which is positioned to occupy the space just above an upper edge of the seat back (backrest) of the vehicle seat. Such vehicle seat headrests are also known as head restraints and are an automotive safety feature, attached or integrated into the top of each vehicle seat. The headrest limits a rearward movement of the occupant's head, relative to the torso, in a collision. This prevents or limits whiplash or other neck and spine injuries.
Headrests are supported relative to the seatback via support posts. These are typically metal posts that pass through an upper surface of the seatback. The arrangement is typically provided with an adjustment feature to adjust at least a height position. Such a height adjustment may be accomplished with adjustment position grooves or notches along a length of the support posts with an engaging feature that engages the groove to set or lock a height position of the headrest relative to the seatback. Such a height (also known as the vehicle Z direction) position adjustment is needed to account for occupants of various height and size. However, the adjustment is limited. Headrests have been proposed with other possibilities for adjustment, such as in an adjustment in the vehicle forward and rearward direction (typically the vehicle X direction or direction of travel). However, the configuration with the metal posts at the top of the seatback somewhat limits possibilities for adjustment. Further, with the vehicle seat with the seatback in a full recline position, the position of the headrest surface, facing the occupant's head, may be uncomfortable and not sufficiently support the occupant's head.